Reversing shuttle transmission

ABSTRACT

A self-propelled riding lawnmower having a combined V-belt and gear transmission providing two forward speeds and two reverse speeds and wherein the operator can change direction of travel with one control lever without shifting gears, and including linkage for simultaneously braking the ground traversing movement of such mower while placing such transmission in neutral.

United States Patent 1 Kamlukin et al.

[ 41 REVERSING SHUTTLE TRANSMISSION [75] Inventors: lgor Kamlukin; William L.

Stevenson, both of Mequon; George J. Vertanen; Edward Freier, Jr., both of Port Washington, all of Wis.

[73] Assignee: Simplicity Manufacturing Company, lnc., Port Washington, Wis;

[22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 290,135

52 u.s.c1. 56/11.6 51 1m.c1 ..A0ld 69/08 581 Field ofSearch ..56/l1.6,11.7,1l.8,

56/105, DIG. 15', 180/70 R, 6.2, 53 R; 74/722, 219; [92/11 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/196] Strunk 180/70 R 1451 Oct. 23, 1973 3,599,407 8/1971 Bichel .Q. ..56/ll.8 3,628,315 12 1971 Bartholomew ..56/ll.6

Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Kenneth C. McKivett ABSTRACT A self-propelled riding lawnmower having a combined V-belt and gear transmission providing two forward speeds and two reverse speeds and wherein the operator can change direction of travel with one control lever without shifting gears, and including linkage for simultaneously braking the ground traversing movement of such mower while placing such transmission in neutral.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1 REVERSING SHUTTLE TRANSMISSION This invention is concerned with a combination belt and gear transmission wherein the transmission can be shifted to change direction by moving a single control lever.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple transmission providing two forward speed and two reverse speeds.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfpropelled mower having a transmission which can be shifted to change direction by only shifting a single lever.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfpropelled mower with a-foot control which simultaneously when applied, brakes the ground traversing movement of such mower and alsoshifts the transmission thereof to neutral.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfpropelled mower with a foot control which simultaneously when applied brakes the ground traversing movement of such mower and also shifts the transmission thereof neutral and when such foot control is released simultaneously shifts the transmission to the gear it was operating in before stopping and releases the transmission brake.

These and other objects will .become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the attachd drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a riding lawnmower incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 11-" of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mower blade drive with parts removed for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mower belt transmission drive with parts removed for clarity of illustration;

through the transmission;

FIG. 6 is a.diagrammatic side controls of the mower transmission; and,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a-self-propelled mower 10, incorporating features of the present invention is seen includinga chassis 11, a rotary mower attachment 12, a power transmission 13, and an engine 14. Chassis 11 provides a horizontal platforml6 for supporting the engine 14 and the transmission 13.. The

chassis 11 includes a pair of sidewalls 17 and- 18 whichare supported at space intervals by a rear axle structure 19 including suitable housing 21. v

Engine 14 is provided with a dependingdrive shaft 22 to which are attached drive pulleys 23 and 24. Drive pulley 23 .is connected by means of V-belt 26 with driven pulley 27 for driving mower attachment 12. A pair of pulleys 28 and 29 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) are mounted for rotation about bolts 31 which are carried by depending arms 32 and 33 of U-member 34 which is pivotally attached to pin 35 pivotally connected to chassis 11 for movement about a transverse axis. V-belt 26 passes about pulleys28 and 29 which tensions such. belt to provide a driving connection between engine 14 and driven pulley 27 of rotary mower attachment 12. Conventional operator controlled toggle means (not shown) are provided for retaining pulleys 28 and 29 in FIG. is an enlarged top elevation view in section elevation view of the reduction gearing enclosed in,

belt tightening relation to V-belt 26 or in belt relaxing relation.

Drive pulley 24 is connected by V-belt 36 to idler ulley 37 which is adjustably spring-mounted from structural member 38 (FIG. 2) attached between sidewalls 17 and 18 by cross member 40. Between drive pulley 24 and idler pulley 37 belt 36 passes halfway around a clutch and transmission mechanism 39 which is mounted about an input shaft 41 rotatably supported in housing 21. A central half-pulley member 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is keyed to shaft 41. Pulleys 43 and 44 are mounted on shaft 41 for rotation relative thereto and are positioned adjacent to half-pulley section 42. Pulley 43 is provided with the surface 46 adjacent to the periphery thereof which with surface 47 on halfpulley section 42 forms a seat for a V-belt 48 which is mounted about idler pulley 49 (FIG. 4) rotatably carried by one leg 51 of a U-bracket 52 attached to a crank 53 pivotally supported in sidewalls 17 and 18 (FIG. 2). Pulley 44 (FIG. 5) is provided with a surface 54 adjacent to the periphery thereof which with surface 56 of half-pulley section 42 forms a seat for a V-belt 57 which is mounted about idler pulley 58 rotatably carried by the other leg 59 of U-bracket 52. It is to be noted that pulleys 49 and 58 are mounted at different heights on U-bracket 52 so that'as crank 53 is turned pulleys 49 and 58 will be moved toward or away from shaft 41 alternately. In other words, when crank 53 is positioned with pulleys 49 and 58 equidistant from shaft 41, this is a-neutral position and neither belt 48 nor 57 will cause 'a driving connection between pulleys 49 and 58 with half-pulley section 42. As crank 53 is pivoted clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 a belt tightening relation is established between pulley 58 and halfpulley section 42 through V-belt 57 so that belt '36 drives half-pulley section 42 and thereby shaft 41 and the connected transmission l3 in a forwardly direction. If crank 53 is pivoted counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 a belt tightening relationship is established be-.

tween pulley 43 and half-pulley section 42-resulting in half-pulley 42 being driven by belt 36 in a direction opposite to which it previously was driven and this results in shaft 41 and transmission 13 being driven in a reverse direction.'- I i A foot pedal 59 is pivotallymounted on pin 61 car-.

- ried by chassis 11 (see FIGS. 1, 2,6 and 7). A r'od.62

has one turned over end-63 pivotally received in pedal 59. The other end of rod 62 passes through a U-shaped member 64 and has the end thereof threadedto receive nut 66. A compression spring 67 is interpulled between nut 66' and U-shaped member l64v in biasing relation to said later member. Member 64 is pivotally attached to the upper end of strap 65 whibh is attached at a midportion thereof to crank 53 fonmovement therewith. A

rod 68 (FIG. 6) has a forward end thereof attached at as by welding to a mid-portion of .rod 62 and the rearward end of rod 68 passes through openings in a rod nut 71 and rod guide 69 about rod 68in biasing relation to guide 69. v

In other words, when 7 foot pedal 59 this exerts a pull on rod 62 compresssing either spring67 or 72 or both and thus moving strap 65,

the operator steps down onthe 58 is tightening belt 48 or 57 to establish a driving relation with half-pulley 42 for providing a drive from belt 36 to shaft 41 and its connected transmission 13.

Also pivotally received in foot pedal 59 is turned over portion 73 of rod 74. The other end of rod 74 passes through a turned over end portion 76 of Z-bar 77 and is threaded to receive a nut 78. A spring 79 is interposed about rod 74 between portion 76 and nut 78. Z-bar 77 is attached to one end of brake band 81 which has its other end connected to pin 82 carried by transmission housing 21. Brake band 81 surrounds a brake disc 83 keyed to brake shaft 84 forming a part of power transmission 13 as will be later described.

A forward, reverse and neutral shift is provided by movement of hand lever 86 which is pivoted for movement about shaft 87 pivotally carried by chassis 11. Hand lever 86 is provided with a coacting quadrant member 88 also attached to chassis 11 which quadrant member provides conventional means (not shown) for retaining lever 86 in any desired adjusted position. As shown, lever 86 is in a neutral position, if moved forwardly lever 86 would be in a forward drive position and if moved rearwardly lever 86 would be in a reverse drive position.

Lever 86 is provided with a depending portion 89 which pivotally receives a turned over end portion 91 of rod 92. The other end of rod 92 is slideably received in rod guide 93 which pivotally attaches to a lower portion of strap 65. Rod 92 is provided with a set collar 94 attached thereto between the legs 96 and 97 of rod guide 93. Springs 98 and 99 are mounted about rod 92 and positioned between leg 96 and collar 94 and between leg 97 and collar 94, respectively, so that if the operator wishes to run the mower forwardly, he moves lever 86 forwardly. This results in depending portion 89 moving rearwardly. This rearward movement of portion 89 moves rod 92 rearwardly compressing spring 98 against leg 96 until crank 53 is moved clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 causing a tightening of belt 57 and thereby establishing a driving relation between pulley 44 and half-pulley 42 in a forward direction, driving shaft 41 in a forward direction. If the operator wishes to run the mower rearwardly, he moves lever 86 rearwardly, this results in depending portion 89 moving forwardly. This forward movement of portion 89 moves rod 92 and compresses spring 99 against leg 97 until crank 53 ismoved counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG.

4 causing a tightening of belt 48 and thereby establish-- this moves rod 92 to the position shown in FIG. 1

wherein both springs 98 and 99 are biasing collar 94 and crank 53 to the neutral position shown wherein neither belt 48 nor belt 57 is tightened so that no driving connection between either pulley 43 or 44 is secured with half-pulley 42.

Also mountedfor movement about shaft 87 is the parking brake lever 101 which is provided with a strap 102 attached thereto and which strap pivotally receives one end of a turned over portion 103 of rod 104. The other end of rod 104 passes through an opening in turned over portion 106 of Z-bar 77. This other end of rod 104 is threaded to receive a nut 107. A spring 108 is positioned about rod 104 between nut 107 and turned over portion 106. Brake lever 101 is toggle mounted relative to shaft 87 so that when brake lever 101 is depressed sufficiently to move turned over portion 106 over center. This results in a pull on Z-bar 77 and the aforesaid toggle arrangement maintains Z-bar 77 applying a tightening of brake band 81 about brake disc 83.

Shift mechanism (FIGS. 1 and 5), gnerally designated 109, is operated by a manually actuatable gear shift lever 111 readily accessible to an operator occupying seat 112, provides for sliding a compound gear 113 on the input shaft 41 back and forth to selectably mesh its high and low sections 114, 116 respectively with the second and first speed gears 117, 118 on the brake shaft 84. Thus low speed propulsion of the mower 10 results when the compound forward gear is shifted to the right of neutral to bring the low speed gear 116 into mesh with the first speed gear 118. Similarly, high speed propulsion is effected by shifting the compound gear to the left of neutral to bring the high speed gear 114 thereof into mesh with second speed gear 117 on the brake shaft 84.

The differential transmission is of the spur gear type and includes a main gear 119 meshing with a gear 121 connecting gears 117 and 118. Main gear 119 is rotatable about the common axis of the axle shafts 122, 123, both with and with respect thereto. Gear means designated generally by the reference numeral 124 includes planetary gearing including a pair of spur gears 126 and 127 respectively fixed to the shafts 122 and 123, and two pairs of planet gears 128 and 129. One of the planet gears of each pair meshes with one of the spur gears and the other of each pair of planet gears meshes with the other spur gear. In addition, the planet gears mesh with one another, for which purpose the planet gears are wider than the spur gears. Y

All of the planet gears are carried by the main gear 119 being journaled on sleeves 1131 that are slipped onto tie bolts 132 by which the main gear 119 and a disc 133 are connected in spaced coaxial relationship therewith, the sleeves 131 serving to space the disc from the main gear. The main gear together with'the discs 133 and the tie bolts connecting them thus constitute a power input mens through which the transmission is connected to a power source. The structure described constitutes a conventional differential transmisson. I

As to the operation of the mower with control lever and shift lever 111 both in neutral position, the engine 14 is started. Parking brake 101 is released and shift lever 111 is moved into either low or high gear while control lever 86 is moved into forward position which moves pulley 58 on crank 53 into belt-tightening relationship with V-belt 57. One side of V-belt 57 contacts surface 54 of transmission pulley 44 and the opposite side of V-belt 57 contacts surface 56 of disc-clutch 42 causing disc-clutch 42 to be driven by this frictional contact. Disc-clutch 42 is keyed to shaft 41 and moves the mower in a forward direction of travel. To reverse the direction of mower travel, control 86 is pulled to reverse position which moves pulley 58 on crank 53 out of belt tightening relation with V-belt 57 and thereby interrupting the drive existing between pulley 44 and disc-clutch 42 and moves pulley 49 into belt-tightening relation to V-belt 48 which on one side moves into frictional engagement with side 47 of disc-clutch 42 and with side 46 ofpulley 43 which is rotating in a clockwise direction and thus the mower moves in a reverse direction.

With control lever 86 engaged to provide travel in either direction, and foot pedal 59 depressed crank 53 returns pulleys 49 and 58 to neutral position. With the release of foot pedal 59, pulleys 49 and 58 return to the position they were previously placed in by control lever 86 and thus it is seen that foot petal 59 can be used as a conventional clutch for controlling the ground traversing movement of the mower.

No matter what the position lever 86 is positioned in, whether in forward, reverse or neutral when foot pedal 59 is stepped down on, simultaneouslybrake rod 74 applies a pull on Z-bar 77 tigehtening brake band 81 about brake disc 83 and thereby braking sahft 84 in the connected transmission 13; while also shifting pulleys 49 and 58 to the neutral position shown in FIG. 1.

Whatever position 86 is positioned in, forward, reverse or neutral, then when foot pedal 59 isreleased, pulleys 49 and 58 return to the positions they were in prior to foot pedal 59 being stepped down on.

It is to be noted that this forward and reverse speed belt transmission combined with the shown two speed gear shift transmission provides a combination transmission having two forward and two reverse speeds.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower having a rotary cutting means, a shiftable transmission for driving said mower, a first drive belt means connected to said transmission for driving said mower in a forward direction and a second drive means connected to said trans-.

mission for driving said mower in a reverse direction, the improvement comprising: a chassis; a crank pivot-. ally attached to said chassis; a pair of idler pulleys mounted on said crank for movement therewith and cooperatively arranged to actuate said first drive means responsive to movement of said crank in a first direction, and to actuate said second drive means responsive to movement to said crank in a second direction; means for maintaining said idler pulleys in a neutral position; linkageconnected to said crank and having an operating lever disposed for moving said crank in said first direction whereby said mower is driven in a forward direction; said operating lever and linkage being manually operable for moving said crank in said second direction whereby said mower is driven in a reverse direction.

2. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 1 and wherein said mower is provided with a foot pedal and second linkage means connecting said foot pedal with crank for moving said crank to a neutral position when said pedal is depressed.

3. In a self-propelled lawnmower as recited in claim 2 and wherein said second linkage means includes a link to each of said pulleys so that when said pedal is depressed said pulleys are returned to neutral no matter what their position is and upon release of said pedal said pulleys will return to their former position.

4. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 3 and wherein a third linkage means is provided operatively connecting said foot pedal with means for braking said mower, said third linkage means being operative to brake said mower when said foot pedal is depressed while said second linkage means is moving said crank to said neutral position.

5. In a self-propelled riding-lawnmower as recited in claim 4 and wherein a hand operated parking braking means is provided comprising an operating lever pivotally mounted on said chassis, a fourth linkage means connected-between said lever and said third linkage means is provided so that when said operating lever is moved in one direction said braking means are applied.

6. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 5 and wherein toggle means carried by said chassis are provided in cooperative relation to said operating lever so that when said lever is moved in said one direction a sufficient distance, said toggle means'will keep said lever applying brake means.

7. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 4 and wherein said shiftable transmission includes means for providing two speeds forward and two 

1. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower having a rotary cutting means, a shiftable transmission for driving said mower, a first drive belt means connected to said transmission for driving said mower in a forward direction and a second drive means connected to said transmission for driving said mower in a reverse direction, the improvement comprising: a chassis; a crank pivotally attached to said chassis; a pair of idler pulleys mounted on said crank for movement therewith and cooperatively arranged to actuate said first drive means responsive to movement of said crank in a first direction, and to actuate said second drive means responsive to movement to said crank in a second direction; means for maintaining said idler pulleys in a neutral position; linkage connected to said crank and having an operating lever disposed for moving said crank in said first direction whereby said mower is driven in a forward direction; said operating lever and linkage being manually operable for moving said crank in said second direction whereby said mower is driven in a reverse direction.
 2. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 1 and wherein said mower is provided with a foot pedal and second linkage means connecting said foot pedal with crank for moving said crank to a neutral position when said pedal is depressed.
 3. In a self-propelled lawnmower as recited in claim 2 and wherein said second linkage means includes a link to each of said pulleys so that when said pedal is depressed said pulleys are returned to neutral no matter what their position is and upon release of said pedal said pulleys will return to their former position.
 4. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 3 and wherein a third linkage means is provided operatively connecting said foot pedal with means for braking said mower, said third linkage means being operative to brake said mower when said foot pedal is depressed while said second linkage means is moving said crank to said neutral position.
 5. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 4 and wherein a hand operated parking braking means is provided comprising an operating lever pivotally mounted on said chassis, a fourth linkage means connected between said lever and said third linkage means is provided so that when said operating lever is moved in one direction said braking means are applied.
 6. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 5 and wherein toggle means carried by said chassis are provided in cooperative relation to said operating lever so that when said lever is moved in said one direction a sufficient distance, said toggle means will keep said lever applying brake means.
 7. In a self-propelled riding lawnmower as recited in claim 4 and wherein said shiftable transmission includes means for providing two speeds forward and two speeds in reverse. 